The prior art provides a complete plethora of insulated glass assemblies, sealant strips and spacer elements and improvements thereto used in insulated glass assemblies.
The modifications and improvements to the strips etc. have all had a common goal, namely, to improve the insulation capacity for such assemblies without sacrificing structural integrity or moisture degradation of the assembly.
Although the art is replete with such assemblies, it fails to provide an insulating sealant strip which provides:
I) warm edge technology;
II) non-ultraviolet degradable material; or
III) elastic deformation between the glass lites.
Typical of the art in the field of the present invention includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,841. This patent discloses the use of an aluminum foil into which is positioned desiccant material. Such an arrangement has two inherent limitations, namely:
i) aluminum is a thermal conductor which results in thermal transmission and thus obvious energy expenditures and
ii) since the tube is solid, elastic recovery from the compression of glass lites engaged with the same is negligible.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,905 discloses a composite foam spacer comprising an extruded tubular profile having an outer coating of foam material thereon. The spacer further includes projecting edges which project laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the spacer. Although a useful arrangement, the spacer does not facilitate compression dampening and, if the spacer were compressed, this would result in unnatural force dispersion due to the projecting edges which may lead to breakage of the substrates. Further, if compressed, the spacer element may disrupt sealant material associated therewith thus leading to an ineffective seal.
Mucaria, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,226 provides a glass assembly in which there is included aluminum spacers. As such, the arrangement is limited similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,841 as discussed herein previously.
Further prior art in the field of the present invention includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,536,424; 4,822,649; 4,952,430; 4,476,169; 4,500,572; and Canadian Patent Nos. 884,186; 861,839; and 1,008,307.